In a significant development in the ongoing investigation into corruption at the highest levels of New York City's government, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, the former Chief Advisor to the Mayor, has been indicted for her involvement in multiple bribery conspiracies that culminated in her receiving over $75,000 in exchange for using her official influence. The Manhattan District Attorney's office announced that the conspiracies spanned from March 2022 to November 2024, touching various city agencies and affecting numerous city contracts and approvals.
The allegations include steering contracts for shelters serving asylum seekers, manipulating New York City Department of Transportation plans for a Brooklyn street, and expediting building approvals for developers. According to District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, "We allege that Ingrid Lewis-Martin engaged in classic bribery conspiracies that had a deep and wide-ranging impact on City government," Lewis-Martin's son, Glenn D. Martin II, and Jesse Hamilton, the Deputy Commissioner for Real Estate Services at DCAS, are among eight other co-defendants named in the indictment, which details Lewis-Martin's alleged abuses of power, including pressuring civil servants to favour particular developers and companies, the list of alleged acts portrays a persistent pattern of corruption, according to a press release.
Among the most serious allegations, Lewis-Martin is accused of misappropriating city funds for personal benefit and influencing key decisions on projects such as shelter site placements and street redesigns. One notable charge involves a $50,000 payment allegedly funneled into her son's account, believed to have been diverted from a city contract tied to asylum seeker shelters. Additional claims cite perks such as a television appearance and luxury catering services for mayoral events as part of the illicit benefits she received. As detailed by the AG's office, Lewis-Martin's alleged actions appeared to favor her co-defendants, prompting District Attorney Bragg to lament the way "Hardworking City employees were undermined, businesses and developers who followed the law were pushed aside, and the public was victimized."
The case is being prosecuted by a team of Assistant District Attorneys under the supervision of senior officials in the Rackets Bureau and Investigation Division, with investigative support from both the District Attorney’s Office and the Department of Investigation.
